Beta nucleating masterbatch offers enhanced properties in polypropylene products

Nucleating agents are widely used to improve the physical properties of polypropylene and in particular increase the stiffness and strength of moulded parts. Nucleating agents can also improve the clarity of polypropylene and reduce cycle times. A special class of nucleating agents known as beta nucleators causes a different crystal structure of polypropylene to form when a moulded or extruded part is cooled from the melt. Certain properties of polypropylene are drastically altered by this change in crystal structure. Phil Jacoby of Mayzo, Inc. describes how this change in crystal structure can be taken advantage of to produce certain novel polypropylene products such as microporous films, lightweight thermoformed parts, and moulded products with high impact strength and no sacrifice in part stiffness. He highlights the development of a masterbatch containing a proprietary beta nucleant agent that can be added at the extruder hopper to a non-nucleated polypropylene resin to achieve these benefits of beta nucleation.